Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-5021.00United States

Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $90,632
Projected change: +5.6%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 52.81K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.
Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.
Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
Signal crew members or deckhands to rig tow lines, open or close gates or ramps, or pull guard chains across entries.
Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
Calculate sightings of land, using electronic sounding devices and following contour lines on charts.
Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures through instruction, simulators, or models.
Direct or coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading or unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, or operating, maintaining, or repairing ship equipment.
Arrange for ships to be fueled, restocked with supplies, or repaired.
Supervise crews in cleaning or maintaining decks, superstructures, or bridges.
Purchase supplies or equipment.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $45,595
25th percentile: $62,328
50th percentile: $90,632
75th percentile: $126,286
90th percentile: $179,104

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $90,632 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+5.6%average or slower

202552,811 jobs

2035 projected55,748 jobs

2,937 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 46.4%
Certificate: 36.6%
Bachelor's degree: 8.4%
Some college: 5.5%
Associate degree: 2.2%
Master's or Professional degree: 0.9%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Lifting Ability
Safety Procedures
Boat Maintenance
Machinery
Safety Standards
Loading And Unloading
Safety Training
Barges
Boat Handling
Regulatory Compliance
Navigational Instruments
Occupational Safety And Health
Emergency Response
Admiralty Law
Equipment Maintenance
Hydraulics
Marine Navigation
Operations Management
Radar
Oil and Gas

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Boat Captains598 postings
02Captains442 postings
03Dredge Operators80 postings
04Shift Supervisors76 postings
05Chief Engineers74 postings
06Port Captains60 postings
07First Officers58 postings
08Boat Operators51 postings
09Masters/Captains44 postings
10Test Pilots34 postings
11Pilots Captain29 postings
12Lead Captains28 postings
13Offshore Managers26 postings
14Bosses23 postings
15Catering Captains23 postings
16Station Captains22 postings
17Cruise Directors17 postings
18Line Pilots17 postings
19Yacht Captains16 postings
20Station Managers15 postings

Top employers

01American Cruise Lines124 postings
02Starbucks74 postings
03Walt Disney58 postings
04Guest Services34 postings
05In-Flight Crew Connections31 postings
06American Commercial Barge Line Company28 postings
07Aramark27 postings
08Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation25 postings
09Hornblower And Company23 postings
10Hornblower Cruises And Events23 postings
11Royal Caribbean Group21 postings
12City Of Cedar Rapids Community Schools20 postings
13Boeing16 postings
14Acbl Transportation Services15 postings
15Saltchuk Resources15 postings
16Huntington Ingalls Industries13 postings
17Marquette Transportation Company12 postings
18Foss And Company11 postings
19Foss Maritime Company11 postings
20Hornblower Group11 postings

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